Disaster Recovery Community Organizer

About the Role

Hometown Organizing Project / Hometown Action (HOP/HA) seeks a part-time Disaster Recovery Community Organizer to work 20-25 hours per week to drive our ongoing Disaster Recovery work statewide. This means building a base of small town and rural people through community outreach and team-building who are able to respond when climate disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, flooding, etc) strike. Desired start date is Monday, August 26th, 2024. 

The Disaster Recovery Community Organizer is responsible for carrying out the organization’s disaster recovery work using a power building framework. The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, a self-starter, and enjoy meeting and connecting with diverse groups of people. This position is a part-time, hourly, hybrid remote/on-site position. Preference will be given to candidates living in or near central, west, or east Alabama as well as those with disaster recovery experience. Travel to the organization’s headquarters in Montevallo, AL is required approximately 1-2 times per month. Must be available for in-person, on-site work at the office or in community locations 3-4 days a week.  

Candidates must be comfortable working independently in remote areas and have the ability to build genuine relationships across differences of race, class, gender, geography, and political ideology as well as with people who are experiencing significant hardship from climate disasters or other issues facing the community. While the role does require the ability to work with a high level of independence, the organizer must also be able to work well inside a team. This position will work closely with all members of staff as part of the Organizing Team and will report to the Executive Director.

We are committed to building an inclusive and collaborative organization and strongly encourage people with relevant lived experience and nontraditional work experience to apply. This includes Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. 

Responsibilities

The overall responsibilities include:

• Expand Hometown’s base of disaster recovery volunteers in select geographies through one-to-one conversations with community members, and engaging in outreach at community meetings and events;
• Establish, support, and grow a team of volunteer leaders and facilitate regular team meetings;
• Conduct regular, individual check-in meetings with local team leaders;
• Collaborate with local team to ratify and coordinate ongoing action that supports the team and organization’s goals and outcomes;
• Collaborate with other members of Hometown’s Organizing Team to cultivate a culture of leadership and collaboration among all of Hometown’s local teams and team leaders;
• Coordinate monthly or quarterly statewide leadership opportunities to build relationships across geographies, provide skills sharing, and alignment across all areas of Hometown’s issue work;
• Accurately report on activities and track leadership development of members in organizational databases.

Qualifications

Candidates should have some experience building relationships with diverse groups of people and a strong interest in building community to advance social change. A strong commitment to racial, gender (including transgender), economic, and climate justice, as well as building power in rural and small town communities, is required.

• Ability and flexibility to travel across the state;
• Experience and self-interest in building relationships with people, and working with a group of people to attain common goals;
• Ability to listen to others, to show empathy, and to incorporate other people’s stories and experiences into an inclusive strategy for action that involves those people;
• Proficiency in both working independently to achieve goals and commitments, and to work in a team environment;
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills;
• Proficiency in written and verbal communication;
• Proficiency with online tools and applications, and some experience in online promotion through social media.

About Hometown Action / Hometown Organizing Project

Hometown Organizing Project is a nonpartisan 501c3 nonprofit organization building inclusive and sustainable communities where everyone can thrive through programs that protect our people, share our stories, and build a better future in the rural South. 

Hometown Action is an affiliated 501c4 nonprofit advocacy organization building a multiracial, working class, trans/queer-affirming movement for racial, gender, economic, and climate justice in rural and small town communities across Alabama. 

Equal Employment Opportunity: Hometown Action / Hometown Organizing Project provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, marital or family status/makeup, genetic information including family medical history, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, child or spousal support withholding, citizenship and/or immigration status, any other protected class, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.